Manga Review: Battle Angel Alita: Last Order volume 12
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order is the alternative path to the ending of the Battle Angel Alita series. Alita has regenerated herself into the world of combat. In Volume 12, with her companions, she changes the Z.O.T.T. and exposes some of the Government's dark secrets.
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Manga Review: What a Wonderful World! 1
What a Wonderful World! is a compilation of 9 tracks or short stories that chronicle a turning point in the life of young adults. All of these tracks deal with characters that live on the fringe of society. They range from middle school outcast, to college dropout musician, to struggling manga artist. Inio Asano takes us through a series of events that cover the depressing to humorous times in life all captured in the urban setting that shows the oppressive tendencies that come with inner city life.
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First Annual D23 Expo
To a Disney enthusiast, the idea of a convention organized by the Mouse himself is major excitement overload. The D23 Expo premiered for the first time last month and was exactly what you’d expect from a first year convention. Despite taking place right next door to Disneyland at the Anaheim Convention Center, it was surprisingly un-crowded. In March 2009, the first official online, members-only Disney fan club was launched, D23 (Walt Disney founded what would become the Disney Studios in 1923). The D23 Expo was then organized to serve as an annual meeting place for not only members of D23, but any Disney-loving member of the general public.
Manga Review: Rin-ne Vol 1
Rin-ne is the newest manga by Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of Ranma ½ and Inuyasha. In the series, Sakura Mamiya is a young high school student with an unusual ability; she can see ghosts. When one of her classmates is revealed to be a “sort of” Shinigami, she starts to have all sorts of strange supernatural adventures… and it all seems to be related to the time she got lost as a child and saw something very unusual.
Manga Review: The Prince of Tennis – Volume 34
The Prince of Tennis is a shōnen sports action-comedy manga. The story centers around Ryoma Echizen, a prodigal tennis player at Seishun Academy whose ultimate goal is winning the National Middle School Tennis Championship. While the series focuses on Ryoma, it also chronicles the path of his club, especially those that play pairs, as Ryoma tends to play singles.
DVD Review: The Story of Saiunkoku – The Complete Season One
The Story of Saiunkoku is a shōjo supernatural romance-comedy anime set in the titular mythical/historical realm. Saiunkoku is heavily influenced by Chinese mythology. While there is no exact year, the setting seems to be based very loosely on one of the more stable periods between the late Han Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty as the bureaucratic system established during the Han period is well entrenched while the development of gunpowder has yet to be discovered; however, the series is clearly not historical fiction.
Manga Review: Magic Touch – Volume 4
Magic Touch is a shōjo romance-comedy centered around the high school romance of Chiaki Togu, a cute and shy girl and member of a club, the Massage Research Society, who falls in love with Yosuke, the hottest guy in school, after seeing his back and wanting to massage it. Volume 4 continues to develop the romance between Chiaki and Yosuke, add some more comedic chapters as well as develop some of the side characters.
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Blu-ray Review: Van Helsing
Since the dawn of film, there have been many many attempts to bring the story of Dracula to life on the silver screen from Nosferatu, to the more well known films such as Universal's Dracula starring Bela Lugosi and Bram Stoker's Dracula (Many of which, including this reviewer, think is the most accurate adaptation done in film thus far). Once again Hollywood has decided to try its hand at redoing the ol' Dracula mythos with Van Helsing, only this time hot off the heels of movies like Underworld, this version of the tale takes a more gothic action popcorn flick approach to the timeless story.
Book Review: Starting Point 1979 – 1996
Hayao Miyazaki is arguably one of the greatest animators of our time. Starting Point 1979 – 1996 is a series of essays, interviews and memoirs that are compiled to cover the first 20 years of Hayao Miyazaki’s career.
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Convention Coverage: Archon 33 Masquerade
Over the years the Masquerade has become a big event at many conventions, and Archon is no exception. It can also be argued that it is the focal point for many of these conventions. Nevertheless, Archon has become recognized as one of the top, if not the best, regional Masquerades around.
DVD Review: Bleach: The Rescue, Season Three Box Set
To save Rukia, Ichigo must master his Bankai. It takes ten years to do this, but Ichigo has only three days. With the help of Yoruichi, can Ichigo do it and get to the level it will take to save his friend form the execution she is now marching toward? And what about the death of Captan Aizen, is it related or is there something else going on?
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